List of World Heavyweight Champions (WWE)

This article is about the history of WWE's world title used from 2002 to 2013. For the championship of the same name created in 2023, see World Heavyweight Championship (WWE, 2023–present).

This is the title history of the World Heavyweight Championship. The title was introduced in 2002 when WWE bought out World Championship Wrestling WCW. It was retired and made into one with the WWE Championship on December 16, 2013 when Randy Orton defeated John Cena at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs. It does not share the title history of the new World Heavyweight Championship that was created in 2023.

Title History

#	Wrestlers	Reign	Date	Days held	Location	Event	Notes	Ref
1	Triple H	1	September 2, 2002	76	Milwaukee, WI	Raw	Awarded the championship by Eric Bischoff. At No Mercy on October 20, 2002, Triple H defeated Intercontinental Champion Kane to unify the Intercontinental Championship into the World Heavyweight Championship.	[1][2]
2	Shawn Michaels	1	November 17, 2002	28	New York, NY	Survivor Series	This was the first ever Elimination Chamber match, also involving Chris Jericho, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, and Kane.	[3][4]
3	Triple H	2	December 15, 2002	280	Sunrise, FL	Armageddon	This was a Three Stages of Hell match.	[5][6]
4	Goldberg	1	September 21, 2003	84	Hershey, PA	Unforgiven	This was a Career vs. Title match.	[7][8]
5	Triple H	3	December 14, 2003	91	Orlando, FL	Armageddon	This was a Triple Threat match also involving Kane.	[9][10]
6	Chris Benoit	1	March 14, 2004	154	New York, NY	WrestleMania XX	This was a Triple Threat match also involving Shawn Michaels. Benoit became the first Canadian to win the title.	[11][12]
7	Randy Orton	1	August 15, 2004	28	Toronto, ON, Canada	SummerSlam	Orton became the youngest world champion in the history of WWE.	[13][14]
8	Triple H	4	September 12, 2004	85	Portland, OR	Unforgiven		[15][16]
—	Vacated	—	December 6, 2004	—	Charlotte, NC	Raw	The championship was vacated after a double pinfall happened in a triple threat match, also involving Chris Benoit and Edge.	[17][18]
9	Triple H	5	January 9, 2005	84	San Juan, Puerto Rico	New Year's Revolution	Triple H beat Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, Batista, and Edge in an Elimination Chamber match with Shawn Michaels as the Special Guest Referee to win the vacant championship.	[17][19]
10	Batista	1	April 3, 2005	282	Los Angeles, CA	WrestleMania 21	Batista was drafted to the SmackDown! brand as the last pick on June 30, 2005, making the title exclusive to that brand.	[20][21]
—	Vacated	—	January 10, 2006	—	Philadelphia, PA	SmackDown!	Batista vacated the title after he suffered a triceps injury. Aired on tape delay on January 13, 2006.	[22][23]
11	Kurt Angle	1	January 10, 2006	82	Philadelphia, PA	SmackDown!	Angle won the vacant championship in a 20 man battle royal, last eliminating Mark Henry.	[22][23]
12	Rey Mysterio	1	April 2, 2006	112	Rosemont, IL	WrestleMania 22	This was a Triple Threat match also involving Randy Orton.	[24][25]
13	King Booker	1	July 23, 2006	126	Indianapolis, IN	The Great American Bash	Booker T became the first African American to win the title.	[26][27]
14	Batista	2	November 26, 2006	126	Philadelphia, PA	Survivor Series	This was a Last Chance match.	[28][29]
15	The Undertaker	1	April 1, 2007	37	Detroit, MI	WrestleMania 23	This was a title vs streak match in which the Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania went up to 15-0.	[30][31]
16	Edge	1	May 8, 2007	70	Pittsburgh, PA	SmackDown!	Edge cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to earn the right to challenge for the title. Aired on tape delay on May 8, 2007.	[32][33]
—	Vacated	—	July 17, 2007	—	Laredo, TX	SmackDown!	Edge vacated the title after he suffered a pectoral injury. Aired on tape delay on July 20, 2007.	[34][35]
17	The Great Khali	1	July 17, 2007	61	Laredo, TX	SmackDown!	Khali won the vacant championship in a 20-man battle royal and became first Indian to win the title.	[34][35]
18	Batista	3	September 16, 2007	91	Memphis, TN	Unforgiven	This was a Triple Threat match also involving Rey Mysterio.	[36][37]
19	Edge	2	December 16, 2007	105	Pittsburgh, PA	Armageddon	This was a Triple Threat match also involving The Undertaker.	[38][39]
20	The Undertaker	2	March 30, 2008	30	Orlando, FL	WrestleMania XXIV	This was a title vs streak match in which the Undertaker's WrestleMania undefeated streak went up to 16-0. WWE lists the end of Undertaker's reign on May 2, 2008, when the following episode aired on tape delay.	[40][41]
—	Vacated	—	April 29, 2008	—	Atlantic City, NJ	SmackDown	SmackDown's General Manager Vickie Guerrero stripped The Undertaker of the title for using the Hell's Gate submission hold, which she said was dangerous. Aired on tape delay on May 2, 2008.	[42][43]
21	Edge	3	June 1, 2008	29	San Diego, CA	One Night Stand	Edge beat The Undertaker in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match to win the vacant title.	[42][44]
22	CM Punk	1	June 30, 2008	69	Oklahoma City, OK	Raw	This was Punks Money in the Bank cash-in match. CM Punk was a part of the Raw brand, so his win made the title exclusive to that brand again.	[45][46]
23	Chris Jericho	1	September 7, 2008	49	Cleveland, OH	Unforgiven (2008)	This was a Championship Scramble, also involving John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Batista, Rey Mysterio, and Kane. Jericho was a late replacement for champion CM Punk, who was attacked by Legacy before the match.	[47][48]
24	Batista	4	October 26, 2008	8	Phoenix, AZ	Cyber Sunday	"Stone Cold" Steve Austin was the Special Guest Referee.	[49][50]
25	Chris Jericho	2	November 3, 2008	20	Tampa, FL	Raw	This was a Steel Cage match.	[51][52]
26	John Cena	1	November 23, 2008	84	Boston, MA	Survivor Series		[53][54]
27	Edge	4	February 15, 2009	49	Seattle, WA	No Way Out	This was an Elimination Chamber match also involving Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Mike Knox, and Kane. The title became exclusive to SmackDown again because Edge was a part of that brand.	[55][56]
28	John Cena	2	April 5, 2009	21	Houston, TX	WrestleMania XXV	This was a Triple Threat match also involving The Big Show. The title became exclusive to Raw again because Cena was a part of that brand.	[57][58]
29	Edge	5	April 26, 2009	42	Providence, RI	Backlash	This was a Last Man Standing match. The title became exclusive to SmackDown again because Edge was a part of that brand.	[59][60]
30	Jeff Hardy	1	June 7, 2009	<1	New Orleans, LA	Extreme Rules	This was a Ladder match.	[61][62]
31	CM Punk	2		49			This was Punk's Money in the Bank cash-in match.	[62][63]
32	Jeff Hardy	2	July 26, 2009	28	Philadelphia, PA	Night of Champions		[64][65]
33	CM Punk	3	August 23, 2009	42	Los Angeles, CA	SummerSlam	This was a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.	[66][67]
34	The Undertaker	3	October 4, 2009	140	Newark, NJ	Hell in a Cell	This was a Hell in a Cell match.	[68][69]
35	Chris Jericho	3	February 21, 2010	37	St. Louis, MO	Elimination Chamber	This was an Elimination Chamber match, also involving John Morrison, R-Truth, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio. WWE lists the end of Jericho's reign on April 2, 2010, when the following episode aired on tape delay.	[70]
36	Jack Swagger	1	March 30, 2010	82	Las Vegas, NV	SmackDown	This was Swagger's Money in the Bank cash-in match. Swagger was drafted to SmackDown following his win. WWE lists the start of Swagger's reign on April 2, 2010, when the episode aired on tape delay.	[71]
37	Rey Mysterio	2	June 20, 2010	28	Uniondale, NY	Fatal 4-Way	This was a Fatal 4-Way match also involving The Big Show and CM Punk.	[72]
38	Kane	1	July 18, 2010	154	Kansas City, MO	Money in the Bank	This was Kane's Money in the Bank cash-in match.	[73]
39	Edge	6	December 19, 2010	58	Houston, TX	TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs	This was a Fatal 4-Way Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, also involving Alberto Del Rio and Rey Mysterio. WWE lists the end of Edge's reign on February 18, 2011, when the following episode aired on tape delay.	[74]
—	Vacated	1	April 12, 2011	—	Albany, NY	SmackDown	Edge was stripped as a result of using the spear in a banned move match by Vickie Guerrero. This episode aired on tape delay on February 18, 2011.	[75]
40	Dolph Ziggler	1	February 15, 2011	<1	San Diego, CA	SmackDown	Vickie Guerrero awarded the belt to Ziggler. This episode aired on tape delay on February 18, 2011.	[76]
41	Edge	7		56			WWE lists the start of Edge's reign on February 18, 2011 and the end on April 15, 2011. Both episodes aired on tape delay.
—	Vacated	1	April 12, 2011	—	Albany, NY	SmackDown	Vacated when Edge announced his retirement. This episode aired on tape delay on April 15, 2011.	[77]
42	Christian	1	May 1, 2011	5	Tampa, FL	Extreme Rules	Christian defeated Alberto Del Rio in a Ladder match to win the vacant world championship. WWE lists the end of Christian's reign on May 6, 2011, when the following episode aired on tape delay.	[78]
43	Randy Orton	2	May 3, 2011	75	Orlando, FL	SmackDown	WWE lists the start of Orton's reign on May 6, 2011, when the episode aired on tape delay.	[79]
44	Christian	2	July 17, 2011	28	Rosemont, IL	Money in the Bank	Defeated Randy Orton by disqualification after Orton gave him a low-blow in view of the official. The stipulations of the match allowed the title to change hands via disqualification.	[80][81]
45	Randy Orton	3	August 14, 2011	35	Los Angeles, CA	SummerSlam	This was a No Holds Barred Match.	[82]
46	Mark Henry	1	September 18, 2011	91	Buffalo, NY	Night of Champions		[83]
47	Big Show	1	December 18, 2011	<1	Baltimore, MD	TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs	This was a chairs match.	[83]
48	Daniel Bryan	1		105			This was Bryan's Money in the Bank cash-in match.	[84]
49	Sheamus	1	April 1, 2012	210	Miami, FL	WrestleMania XXVIII	Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds, this was one of the shortest title matches in WWE history..	[85]
50	Big Show	2	October 28, 2012	72	Atlanta, GA	Hell in a Cell		[86]
51	Alberto Del Rio	1	January 8, 2013	90	Miami, FL	SmackDown!	This was a Last Man Standing match.	[87]
52	Dolph Ziggler	2	April 8, 2013	69	East Rutherford, NJ	Raw	This was Ziggler's Money in the Bank cash-in match.	[88]
53	Alberto Del Rio	2	June 16, 2013	133	Rosemont, IL	Payback		[89]
54	John Cena	3	October 27, 2013	49	Miami, FL	Hell in a Cell		[90]
55	Randy Orton	4	December 15, 2013	<1	Houston, TX	TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs	This was a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Winner takes all match, in which Orton also defended his WWE Championship.	[91]
—	Unified	1	December 15, 2013	—	Houston, TX	TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs	Retired when the title was made into one with the WWE Championship to create the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.	[92]

Combined reigns

Rank	Wrestler	No. of reigns	Combined days	Combined days recognized by WWE
1	Triple H	5	616	611
2	Batista	4	507	503
3	Edge	7	409	405
4	Alberto Del Rio	2	223
5	Sheamus	1	210
6	The Undertaker	3	207
7	CM Punk	3	160	157
8	Chris Benoit	1	154	153
	John Cena	3	154	152
	Kane	1	154	153
11	Rey Mysterio	2	140	138
12	Randy Orton	4	138	132
13	King Booker	1	126	125
14	Chris Jericho	3	106
15	Daniel Bryan	1	105	104
16	Mark Henry	1	91
17	Goldberg	1	84	83
18	Jack Swagger	1	82	78
	Kurt Angle	1	82	81
20	Big Show	2	72
21	Dolph Ziggler	2	69
22	The Great Khali	1	61	60
23	Christian	2	30	31
24	Jeff Hardy	2	28	27
	Shawn Michaels	1